雄性 (xióng xìng) — male (in animals and plants; distinguishes gend…

Definition

Used in biology for males of animals and plants — not people. For male humans use 男性; the female counterpart is 雌性.

noun

male (in animals and plants; distinguishes gender from female)

Measure word · 个

雄性。
Zhè zhī māo shì xióng xìng de.
This cat is male.
，雄性。
Zài zì rán jiè, xióng xìng dòng wù tōng cháng gèng huó yuè.
In nature, male animals are usually more active.
雄性。
Kē xué jiā yán jiū le xióng xìng hé cí xìng de xíng wéi chā yì.
Scientists studied the behavioral differences between males and females.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

性xìngsex/gender

雄 (male) specifies the kind of 性 (sex/gender), yielding 'male sex'.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

厷隹雄

Meaning part形符xíngfú

隹隹zhuī

Sound part声符shēngfú

厷

厷gōng雄xióng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

雄 is formed by putting 隹 together with 厷, with 厷 giving the character's sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

忄生性

Meaning part形符xíngfú

忄Written in full as心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

生

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

性 is built from 忄 (the heart) and 生 (a sound clue). The heart part connects the word to a person's inner nature or quality.

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